Catherine Wearing

Catherine Wearing is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Wellesley College, with dual affiliation in the Department of Philosophy and Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences. Her research bridges philosophy of language and cognitive science, focusing on figurative language comprehension and its implications for understanding cognition.

Education

• B.A., McGill University
• Ph.D., Harvard University

Research Interests

Dr. Wearing investigates how humans interpret metaphorical and figurative language, challenging the pretense theory of metaphor and exploring its relationship to literal utterances. Her work examines metaphor processing in neurotypical populations and individuals with autism, and she collaborates with linguists at University College London on a dual-process model of metaphor comprehension. This research is funded by the Leverhulme Trust.

Teaching

She teaches courses in philosophy of mind and language (PHIL 215), epistemology and philosophy of science from feminist perspectives, and logic. She also offers a first-year seminar on friendship.

Academic Affiliations

• Member, Workshop on Gender and Philosophy (WOGAP) at MIT
• Member, Wellesley Cognitive Science Reading Group